Lancaster County Park Rangers

Merry Christmas from the Park Rangers 🎄

We hope everyone is having a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

It took us a few tries to get the tree just right.

So today I offered to wash our patrol truck out of the kindness of my heart, but apparently Chief frowns upon me driving it into the forbidden pool to clean it. 😢 But in all seriousness, please do not try to drive into rising flood waters or closed off roads! Rockford Road in Central Park is currently shut down and the water level is continuing to rise. Be safe out there, even though the rain has stopped, runoff will continue to feed water levels for some time.

On another note, if you're coming into Central Park to enjoy some food on the grill, please find one that is currently not underwater or on an island... wet soggy food is no fun.

Ranger Spotlight:

Park Ranger David Fliegel

My career as a Park Ranger began in 1998. Just by fate I saw a sign in a kiosk at Warwick County Park in Chester County for “Part-time Park Ranger wanted”. I was always there fishing on French Creek and thought to myself. That’s got to be a cool job. I was hired shortly after that and worked for 5 ½ years as a part-time Park Ranger with Chester County Parks while still bartending and serving for Outback Steakhouse in Glen Mills, PA. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Warwick County Park and am extremely thankful for the opportunity and experience I gained there.

In Oct of 2004 I was hired full time by Lancaster County Parks, and it has been quite an adventure. But the department has become what I believe to be, the best Ranger department there is. I have always had a love for nature and the outdoors. Growing up in Oregon and Washington state we were always camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, or just riding our bikes. Nothing gives me greater peace than spending time in the beauty of nature. So, finding a job where I get paid to spend my time outdoors has been amazing.

I get great enjoyment out of being able to help people. Whether it be with giving directions or helping someone find a new favorite trail. People come to the park to relax, to get away and to admire natures beauty. Anything I can do to make their visit safe and more enjoyable is why I am here. I always say that 90% of the time, I have the best job in the world. 90% good and 10% we as Park Rangers must deal with the more negative aspects of the job. It’s all part of the job, but I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

When I am not working, I am a father of two. My wife and I have raised two wonderful children in my time with the County. We are active in our church, with school sports, Tae kwon do, youth groups and all the things that come with raising a family. My children are now 18 and 20, so I am getting more free time (to spend with my wife😉). We also love to travel. Especially to the OBX. It has become our favorite beach getaway. Bicycles have also been a huge part of my life as long as I can remember. Mountain biking, road bikes, bikepacking or just a casual ride. Doesn’t matter, I love them all. I also repair, restore, and collect old bikes. But camping, fishing, kayaking, hiking are also just a few other things I do in my spare time.

Protect and Preserve! It is on the side of all our patrol vehicles. What does that mean to me? Protect and preserve the parks for future generations and keep the parks and the visitors safe. That is why I became a Park Ranger!

Tune in next month for our next Ranger Spotlight!

Reminder: There will be increased hunting activity from Nov 25th - Dec 9th at Speedwell Forge County Park, Money Rocks County Park and parts of Chickies Rock County Park.

Ranger Spotlight!

This month we’d like to highlight our Park Ranger Sergeant, Ranger Gajecki! In his own words...

My love of the outdoors stems from my many camping trips growing up with my family. Truly, the only time I remember staying in a hotel room on a trip was when we went to Florida because my parents did not like the idea of an alligator crawling into the tent. I remember visiting different parks and talking with Rangers and thinking to myself that I would love to do that job when I grow up.

I started my career as a Seasonal Park Ranger at Lancaster County Park in the summer of 2000. I was able to attend the National Park Service Seasonal Ranger Program at Slippery Rock University while finishing up my degree in Parks and Recreation in May of 2001. I returned to Lancaster County Parks as an armed seasonal ranger until I was hired full-time in October of 2001. During my career here I have had the opportunity to work as the interim Chief Ranger for approximately a year in 2008-2009 and was promoted to Sergeant in February of 2023.

In my spare time I enjoy hanging out with family and friends, camping, watching football, playing video games, and going on date nights with my wife Rebecca. Both of my children are involved with sports teams, and I enjoy watching them play. I really look forward to vacations with family and friends. Some of my favorites are renting a beach house in the Outer Banks, playing on the waterslides in Kalahari Resorts, enjoying the sites and sounds of the Indy 500, or just relaxing next to a fire outside of the camper.

I have been lucky enough to work for and with some amazing people throughout my career at Lancaster County Parks. I have met people that have travelled from all over the world and people that live 2 blocks away and I smile with pride when I hear them tell me that our park is absolutely wonderful. I couldn’t agree more!

Tune in next month for another Ranger Spotlight!

Ranger Spotlight!

As part of a series we will be doing highlighting our Lancaster County Park Rangers, this month we’d like to spotlight Ranger Manwiller! Ranger Manwiller started as a park ranger back in 2016, after graduating in 2014 from Juniata College with a degree in Environmental Science. Due to his passion for the outdoors and love of wildlife, becoming a park ranger was one of his proudest accomplishments! His favorite aspects of the job involve getting to be outdoors throughout the seasons, interacting with wildlife, attending park programs and special events… oh and making some incredible Ranger Facebook posts 😉. (Talking about myself and in third person feels weird but bear with me… hehe bear, ranger jokes.) In his free time, Ranger Manwiller enjoys hiking, photography, making terrible puns, video games, and spending time with his family and friends.

Tune in next month for another Ranger Spotlight!

You never know what you'll run into while patrolling Lancaster County Parks. Today we ran into Jim, who on his second day of retirement, caught this beautiful brown trout!

Thanks for stopping out to see the Park Rangers at our first annual trunk or treat!

October is , and Ranger Bieber is showing his support by wearing pink. Breast cancer affects so many lives, and by wearing pink, you can help spread the word about early detection, regular screenings, and the importance of self-exams.

Just a reminder this Saturday is our Trunk or Treat event! See you there!

Mark your calendar for our FREE trunk or treat event on October 21st!

Mark your calendar for our FREE trunk or treat event on October 21st!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 09-30-23

The members of the Delaware County Park Police Department regret to announce the line of duty death of Patrolman Joseph Montgomery, badge #5564. Patrolman Montgomery started his career with the Delaware County Park Police in August of 2022 following his over 30-year service as a decorated Paramedic with the Riddle Memorial Hospital / Mainline Health System and as the Fire Chief of Edgmont Fire Company. Patrolman Montgomery's passion for the medical field didn't stop after his retirement as a Paramedic. Patrolman Montgomery was the department CPR/AED Instructor and a knowledgeable resource for many of our department's medical needs. Many of the people who knew or encountered Patrolman Montgomery can tell you that his charismatic smile and his knowledge of the emergency services field was second to none. The Delaware County Park Police Department asks that you keep Patrolman Montgomery's family in your thoughts and join us in remembering the legacy that he has left behind.

Note: All Fire, EMS, & Police Departments wishing to pay respects and show support, please see the announcement attached to this post. We will announce updated arrangements and services once this information becomes available to us.

thank you.

Never Forget.

Looking for a career opportunity outdoors? Lancaster County is hiring Trails Arborists and Parks Maintenance workers.

See details and apply at: https://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/1144/Employment-Opportunities

Big thanks to West Lampeter Township Police, West Hempfield Township Police Department & Manor Township Police Department for having the Park Rangers at National Night Out 2023. We had a great time!

We would like to extend a shoutout to our Park Naturalists who gave us the opportunity to help teach kids how to fish as a part of a week-long summer camp. Pictured you can see Chief Arnold teaching a kid how to cast the line, Ranger Manwiller and Chief Arnold helping kids reel and cast, and then Chief Arnold again trying to take credit for a fish one of the kids caught! 🎣🐟

Please help us welcome and congratulate our newest Park Ranger. Today Ranger Kelso was sworn in by Judge Jodie Richardson.

Prior to joining our ranks, Ranger Kelso earned his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Penn State University. While working toward his degree, he served as a Campus Safety Officer for Widener Law School.

Congratulation Ranger Kelso and welcome to the team!

Can you find the toad? Comment if you see it, but don’t give it away.

Can you ID this snake? Often confused with a copperhead.

It’s that time of year again when everyone’s favorite flying insects are emerging. To help prepare for this, here’s a helpful, in-depth, and wholly scientifically worded guide!

Thank you Pennsylvania Canine Search and Rescue - Pacsar for stopping out to meet with the rangers. Chief Terry Wise provided us with a very informative presentation on search + rescue logistics and K-9 demonstration.

K-9 Archer also challenged us to a game of tug of war.. he won

Please join us in congratulating Ranger Gajecki on his recent promotion to Park Ranger Sergeant. Today he was sworn in by President Judge Ashworth as the Park Ranger Division’s first Sergeant. His family was there to share this moment with us and proudly pin the Sergeant’s badge/insignia on him.

Sergeant Gajecki started his career as a Seasonal Park Ranger in the summer of 2000 while he worked toward achieving his bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University in Parks and Recreation Management. In 2001 after graduating and completing the National Park Service Seasonal Law Enforcement Academy, Sergeant Gajecki started his career full-time with the County of Lancaster.

During his tenure with the County, Sergeant Gajecki has served as the Field Training Officer, received several letters of Commendation from the County Commissioners and is the recipient of the division’s Life Saving Award.

We are looking forward to the next chapter of Sergeant Gajecki’s career with the Lancaster County Park Rangers.

Lancaster County, PA Government Lancaster County Parks

Lancaster County Parks hosts Youth Trout Derby.

Saturday May 6th we hosted the first Youth Trout Derby at Lancaster County Central Park along the Mill Creek. We had fantastic weather and a wonderful opportunity to introduce some young anglers to trout fishing.

Several of our angelers landed some nice fish and even had the fortune of landing their first trout ever!

This program was a first for us and was spearheaded by our Park Rangers. Planning over the past few months culminated in to this event this past Saturday. Our hope was to introduce fishing to some young anglers and to find another way to get outside end enjoy nature and our parks.

We are grateful to all who came out to help make this event a success and we are looking forward to next year already.

Special thanks to our Rangers, Naturalists, Program Manager, our Maintenance crew and our volunteers who made this event a success.

Most importantly we thank those who came out and got some lines in the water and had fun.



Lancaster County Parks Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Lancaster County, PA Government

Sergeant Gajecki and Ranger Manwiller got to show off what it’s like to be a park ranger at Solanco STEAM Night this past Friday, showing examples of some cool animals you can find in Lancaster County Parks! I think we have some future park rangers on our hands too!

COME FISH FOR FREE!!!!
The Lancaster County Parks are excited to announce our first youth trout fishing derby. We’re inviting kids ages 5-12 out to the beautiful Mill Creek in Lancaster County Central Park to fish for trout. This event will be free to the public but will require preregistration. Registration will be limited to 30 kids. All kids must have a supervising adult, and all supervising adults are required by Pennsylvania law to possess a valid 2023 fishing license with a trout permit.

Register below:

https://anc.apm.activecommunities.com/lancastercountyparks/activity/search/detail/1448?onlineSiteId=0&locale=en-US&from_original_cui=true

We would like to thank Emma Myers from Troop 70595, for completing her Girl Scout Gold award project, constructing a lost and found box for the Park Ranger station! She invested a total of 80 hours in its creation, between research, planning, sketching, and building, as well as producing an infographic on the side of the box. If any park users find any lost items while out on the trails, please deposit them here!

Update: Construction is set to start next Monday & Tuesday, April 3 & 4 , Furnace Road from Rt. 441 to the parking lot will be closed while they work on this section of the road, so if you use it, make sure you go a different way on these two days.

Parks is hiring seasonal grounds/maintenance workers.

Apply at:
https://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/1144/Employment-Opportunities

Shoutout to Delta Waterfowl Foundation for helping us set up these wood duck boxes! The boxes were donated to us a year ago from Judge Wright, in memory of his father, who built them several years prior for his son’s Eagle Scout project. We also had the pleasure of seeing multiple wood ducks flying across the river while setting them up!

Wednesday 3/15 is the last day to apply! If you love the outdoors and making a difference in the community this is the job for you! Starting salary is $44,928.

See qualifications and apply at:
https://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/1144/Employment-Opportunities

Congratulations to Ranger Bieber (Far left) for successfully completing Crisis Intervention Team training. This training prepares our rangers to handle incidents involving mental health with compassion and professionalism.

https://www.co.lancaster.pa.us/554/Crisis-Intervention-Team

This goofball was found running wild at Chickies Rock. Our Rangers responded and immediately took him into custody. One hound to the pound. The streets are safe again.

If you know where he belongs, please have the owner contact the Lancaster SPCA.

Don't make yourself an easy target. Unfortunately, we do experience this type of criminal activity on occasion.

The best thing you can do is NOT leave valuables inside your car. The next best thing you can do is hide them out of sight.

In most cases the bad actor will not take the time necessary to search for valuables. They will most likely try to identify items of interest before entering your car. They want to be in and out FAST!

The 2022 Beards for Brothers (no shave November) campaign has come to an end. Each November the Park Rangers participate in a charity fundraiser to help local first responders in need.

All of the Rangers participated this year but only four of us could bear the beard long enough for the group picture.

Ranger Manwiller, Ranger Gotwalt, Ranger Bieber & Ranger Gajecki

Thank you Commonwealth Charter Academy for giving Ranger Bieber the opportunity to meet some of the students and hopefully inspire our next generation of Park Rangers.

Applications will be accepted from August 29th - September 7th, This will be for an October 11th start date. All applications must be submitted through the County Of Lancaster website www.co.lancaster.pa.us Facebook applications will not be accepted. Once applied, check your email and spam folder for information to continue your application process.

LCWC is seeking 911 dispatchers.

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